The Pritzker family's hard-line stance in labor negotiations with Chicago hotel workers threatens to bring more negative publicity to a wealthy clan that has cultivated a progressive and munificent image in recent years.

Howard Ecker, 65, president and CEO of his eponymous commercial tenant representation firm in Chicago, says, "My life challenge is to figure out Stephen Hawking's 'A Brief History of Time.' " He's at 10 years and counting. For less cosmic input:

People

Greg Hinz

When the leaves blow and the frost is on the jack-o'-lantern, you can bet that it's time for political Chicago's favorite fall ritual: blaming all the other politicians for that nasty increase in property tax bills.